truth

Who doesn’t want to learn to handle life with the grace of a saint and the creative power of a Zen Master? Who doesn’t want to deal with all the ups and downs each day with an inner calm and sense of peace that can be maintained no matter what one is facing?

Below are 5 key attributes of being a true Zen Master. It is these attributes that allow one to step more into the flow of life and into a sacred state of mind, body and creative spirit that leads to a constant sense of peace and fulfillment.

What makes a champion? Is it heart, talent, preparation or a combination of all of these? Why do some break through to astonishing levels of athletic success and performance while others seem to have to fight to just get a glimpse of it?

Self-love tends to get a bad rap much of the time for being too self-centered or too self-consuming of a behavior. However, this is a big misunderstanding. The truest type of self-love is not the type that produces narcissism, vanity, selfishness or an egotistical attitude, but rather just the opposite. It is a type of love that liberates you from within to be the best you can be. This type of love frees you beyond your previous limitations. It allows you to have the greatest effect on your world because from a state of total self-love and acceptance you are generating the most effective energy of creativity and love.

Whether we see uprisings in countries that have dictators or corrupt and brutal governments, or whether we see the occupy movements taking place in the U.S., the message is ultimately the same. Humans fear any growing power that indicates a manipulation or an attempted control of personal freedoms. Personal creative expression is at the heartbeat of all of life. This is the perfection of the never-ending unfolding of creation in all of its forms. This creative energy when restrained will fight vigorously for its life in the effort to make sure that any threat is aware of what will not be tolerated. It is exactly why people will camp for months through rain or sleet or snow down on Wall Street. This is not a group looking for hand-outs or giveaways but rather a group that feels that who they are on their journey and struggle to survive in a capitalistic society has been marginalized and dismissed by minds or groups of people that can only see the color green, and we are not talking about environmentalists here. This movement like all the movements taking place around the globe is really about a much bigger line that has been drawn in the sand regarding the difference between a “we” mentality and an “I” mentality. “We” does not mean socialism but rather a more balanced respect and approach towards all people of a given society. “We” believes that it is important to see that we are all on this journey together. “I” mentality or the “every man for himself” mindset that is often an unfortunate byproduct of capitalism, is narcissistic and lacks a fundamental regard for life that can seem “soulless” in its choices and actions that ultimately negatively affect millions of people. Like all movements in the universe, this one will eventually find its way closer to an acceptable state of balance. How long it takes and what chaos has to emerge before it happens is yet to be seen. However, a bigger message that continues to emerge, just like it has for thousands of years previous, is that the more we try and separate ourselves from our fellow man and women, plants and animals earth and stars, the more we keep getting shown that we are more connected then we could have ever imagined possible. Even more vitally important, the quality of each of our journeys through life is directly related to the awareness, respect, love and honor of this eternal truth. Peace to all. Howard Falco is a spiritual teacher and author of a powerful new book on self-awareness titled, “I AM: The Power of Discovering Who You Really Are (Tarcher/Penguin) http://www.thebookIAM.com He teaches and speaks on the power of the mind and the creation of personal reality. More about his work and schedule can be found at...

I have recently begun to take questions about life from people dealing with the challenges of their everyday reality. These individuals are looking to understand how to incorporate a greater sense of awareness and perception into their situation that leads to real change. Presented here are this months selected questions and the responses offered. QUESTION # 1 I understand so much of what is being offered by this new thought movement logically, but I can’t seem to embrace it emotionally for real change. I feel like I should get this by now. How do I overcome this? First let me just say that you said, “I can’t seem to embrace” which is a present tense creative statement. You may want to say it as ,“I haven’t yet been able to embrace…” Secondly, remember you are always right where you’re supposed to be because there is no other place. Give yourself a break, accept and love where you are in the process. Anything else is denial. There is no timetable or benchmark on your personal evolution of consciousness. Third, once you are in this balanced, loving and accepting state of mind, ask yourself what it is exactly that you haven’t yet been able to embrace in this moment. This has been your point of resistance. Well, saying that I’m right where I’m supposed to be doesn’t exactly feel good when where I am right now is in pain. Accepting where you are right now is not the acceptance of it for your future. Ironically, your acceptance of it is actually what will liberate you from the experience of it in this moment. If you don’t understand that right now, this is where you are, regardless of the circumstances that got you here, you will use all of your energy to defend yourself against this truth by holding up woulda, coulda and shouldas in your mind, rather than to use your infinite supply of energy to take the action that actually changes what is true for you. Denial will get you nowhere. Ok so I’m supposed to be in pain? You are wherever you decide to be based on how you interpret the circumstances of your world and your personal story. Well I’m sorry, but struggling financially and feeling tired and unhealthy is not where I want to be. So where do you want to be? Financially stable and healthy. Then choose to be this now. Begin in this moment to make new choices in relation to how you make and how you spend your money. Begin right now to love and honor yourself in a new way where you generate the positive energy that heals your soul and cleanses your spirit giving you renewed energy and vitality to go after any job you truly desire. Start yourself on a path where you never give up….ever. Most importantly, if you cannot do this ask yourself why? Discover the false beliefs you hold of imperfection or lack. This is the coding that is driving your current experience of reality. On some level your thoughts about who you are contain the current limits you are experiencing in life. Challenge them and choose to replace them with new ideas for who you are that contain abundance and vitality. And if I do this and nothing changes? The do it again. Do it until you finally have learned all you need to learn to change the reality. You cannot fail. The truth of your beliefs, however, will always be your experience at any given moment of your reality. And the part about embracing these ideas...

The following are questions submitted in a recent webinar I held in October titled “Master Your Reality”. Each week a few new questions and responses from the event will be posted. QUESTION: Why is it so easy to help others in their situation but, we don’t see or are mystified by our own situations? RESPONSE: To see the truth or the solution in your own self you have to be good and ready. Also, once you see it, it makes it harder to avoid change. Change is the very thing that the ego often fights against. We hold tight to our stories even though many times they contain plenty of suffering. We do so because the fear of the unknown is perceived to be worse then the current suffering. Even though ironically it is what eventually liberates us from our suffering. It feels good to offer another the truth when we see it clearly. However, for ourselves it has to be when we are finally and completely ready. QUESTION: Is it Ok to feel pain and disappointment in life as long as you don’t make it apart of you? RESPONSE: It’s not about being ok or not ok, rather it’s about what you desire to experience. If you would rather feel pleasure, joy and peace then yes, when you feel these negative feelings or they begin to creep up look to discover the thoughts or beliefs behind the feelings that support them and look to change them. This is how these feelings become less of a part of you and your story. Challenge the “automatic” thoughts that sponsor any negative feelings you have and you will find the true source of your disharmony. These are the lies that have been lived out as truths in your life. The question to ask yourself is “Do these thoughts serve me now based on what I desire to experience?” If not, continue to challenge and change them into the thoughts that will support you on your creative journey. QUESTION: How do you balance the desire to give to others ie, friends, family, clients,…. with your own necessity to take care of your own responsibilities, how do you learn to work smarter rather than harder? RESPONSE: You can only do what you can do. The key is to make sure that at the end of the day you are content and happy knowing you have always done you best – for that day. To carry any burden of regret is counterproductive to your next day. Working smarter is about being in the most balanced and clear state of mind so that a more creative and powerful energy can flow out of you. If you feel you need to be everything to everyone else it is because you have not come to love and acceptance with who you are regardless of what you do for others. Ironically coming to this beautiful state allows you to be just that for everybody. No matter what the key is to always know that for this moment you are good enough 🙂 Check out my website for more information at...